Apparatus arranged after a continuous casting installation for releasing a thread-like casting connection

ABSTRACT

An apparatus arranged following a continuous casting installation for the purpose of releasing a thread-like casting connection of a dummy bar head, wherein a dummy bar receiver has associated therewith a rotary or turning mechanism with a substantially form-locking receiving opening for a cropped end of the strand possessing the thread-like casting connection.

United States Patent Bollig et al.

Dec. 2, 1975 APPARATUS ARRANGED AFTER A CONTINUOUS CASTING INSTALLATIONFOR RELEASING A THREAD-LIKE CASTING CONNECTION lnventors: Georg Bollig,Meerbusch; Willi Simons, Dusseldorf, both of Germany Assignee:Schloemann-Siemag Aktiengesellschaft, Dusseldorf, Germany Filed: Jan.28, 1974 Appl. No.: 437,496

Foreign Application Priority Data Feb. 2, 1973 Germany 2305038 US. Cl.164/274 Int. Cl. B22D 11/08 Field of Search 164/274, 269, 263, 282;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,544,639 3/1951 Calhoun8l/57.16 3,025,733 3/1962 Soodnizin 81/57.16 3,612,148 10/1971waldschmidtny. 164/263 3,698,469 10/1972 Greenberger 164/274 PrimaryExaminer-Francis S. Husar Assistant ExaminerJohn S. Brown Attorney,Agent, or FirmWerner W. Kleeman [5 7] ABSTRACT An apparatus arrangedfollowing a continuous casting installation for the purpose of releasinga thread-like casting connection of a dummy bar head, wherein a dummybar receiver has associated therewith a rotary or turning mechanism witha substantially formlocking receiving opening for a cropped end of thestrand possessing the thread-like casting connection.

4 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures U.S. Pateht Dec 2, 1975 Sheet 2 of33,923,092

' U.S. Patent U Dec.v2, 1975 Shet 3 of3 APPARATUS ARRANGED AFTER ACONTINUOUS CASTING INSTALLATION FOR RELEASING A THREAD-LIKE CASTINGCONNECTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates toa new and improved construction of apparatus arranged after a continuouscasting installation for releasing a thread-shaped or thread-likecasting connection from a dummy bar head of a dummy bar.

According to a known construction of continuous casting installation forbillets, the mushroom-shaped withdrawing head is coupled by a rotary orturning connection with the dummy bar head. Following the withdrawingmeans or withdrawal rollers there is arranged a mechanism fordecouplingthe turning or rotary connection, which mechanism possesses a rotatablereceiving means with a form opening as the throughpassage for a headformed in accordance with the opening and which head is provided with astepped shaft of the mushroom-shaped withdrawing head. This type ofcasting connection is expensive and complicated, and the speciallyfabricated mushroom-shaped withdrawing head is destroyed after each pouror casting. Also expensive and complicated is the release mechanismwhich is guided by clamping at the strand and equipped with a pivotingdevice actuated by a pressurized medium. The connection and the releasemechanism are not sufficiently operationally reliable under theencountered rough casting conditions. Finally, the connections cannot beused when working with small casting shapes or formats.

Commercially available screws or threaded bolts have become known in theart as constituting economically feasible and robust castingconnections, the threading of which is threadably connected into thehead of the dummy bar and about such head steel is cast. This type ofconnection is also usable with small casting cross-sections. In sodoing, it is conventional practice to crop or shear the cast strandfollowing the withdrawing and straightening mechanism and to manuallyscrew-out from the threading of the dummy bar head the casting screw orbolt connected with the cropped end. The screwing-out operation iscumbersome, requires a great deal of effort and is associated with thedanger of accidents, since the threading is contaminated or fouled bycinders or scale and dust and consequently only can be released withgreat difficulty. Additionally, the operating personnel is subjected tothe radiant heat.

There are also known to the art different thread-like castingconnections, for instance one wherein its connection portion isthread-like cast. For this purpose the dummy bar head is equipped withappropriate internal threading.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Hence, it is a primary object of the presentinvention to provide an improved construction of apparatus forautomatically and positively threading-out the casting connection of adummy bar head.

Yet a further significant object of the present invention aims at theprovision of a new and improved construction of apparatus for releasinga thread-like casting connection for detaching the dummy bar head fromthe casting in a safe and reliable manner, with a minimum of effort, andwithout any appreciable danger to the operator.

Now in order to implement these and still further objects of theinvention, which will become more readily apparent as the descriptionproceeds, the invention contemplates that a dummy bar receiver hasassociated therewith a rotary or turning mechanism with a substantiallyform-locking receiving opening for a cropped end of the strand orcasting exhibiting the thread-like casting connection. In this way, thecasting connection can be rapidly screwed-out without the need to carryout any manual work. The danger of accidents associated with manual workis therefore effectively eliminated.

According to a further manifestation of the invention, a rotary head ofthe rotary mechanism is constructed as a claw or claw means which isopen at one side, in the lateral opening of which there can beintroduced and removed the cropped end. Due to lateral displacement ofthe dummy bar, the cropped end arrives at the claw opening and afterthreading-out the casting screw such cropped end falls into a scrapchute or scrap container.

In order to prevent the bending of the casting screw during prematuretipping of the cropped end, the claw or claw means can be equipped witha fall-out or dropout safety device. As the fall-out safety device therecan be provided, at the side flanks of the claw opening, recessescorresponding to the so-called pointed edge position or pyramid positionof the cropped end, i.e., a position of the cropped end wherein thediagonal connecting diametrically oppositely situated corners of thecropped end are located in said recesses, wherein the cropped end hasassociated therewith a stop which is effective in a direction oppositeto the screw-out direction, and which stop limits movement of thecropped end in the vertical fall-out position.

The tipping of the cropped end prior to the complete screwing-out of thecasting screw can be prevented in that the fall-out safety device of theclaw is constructed as a laterally open cover and is freely pivotablymounted at the same axis of rotation as the rotary head. The pivotalmovement of a sleeve defining the cover and provided with a projectionis limited by stops associated therewith between a position which closesthe claw opening in the fall-out direction and a position which openssuch claw opening. Finally, a further advantage of the invention isrealized in that the dummy bar receiving means or receiver is equippedwith an anti-turning safety device for the dummy bar. In this way thereis prevented that the dummy bar will be entrainably rotated in the caseof heavy or high pitch threads.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be betterunderstood and objects other than those set forth above, will becomeapparent when consideration is given to the following detaileddescription thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexeddrawings illustrating different exemplary embodiments of the invention,and wherein:

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates the arrangement of a release apparatusor mechanism at the end of a dummy bar receiving means;

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates another arrangement of releaseapparatus or mechanism with dummy bar receiving means displaceableparallel to the run-out roller table or roller assembly;

FIG. 3 illustrates a release apparatus or mechanism viewed in thedirection of the cast strand;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the release mechanism depicted in FIG. 3;

FIGS. a to 50 show different working positions of a rotary claw withpivotable cover; and

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view through a casting connectionwhich is to be released or disconnected by means of the apparatus ofthis development.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Describing now thedrawings, it is to be recognized that at the region of a run-out rollertable or set of rollers l, of a continuous casting installation forproducing, for instance, billets, there is arranged a cutter orseparation device 2 for subdividing the cast strand or casting 3. In thearrangement depicted by way of example in FIG. 1, the run-out rollertable 1 has arranged thereafter a cooling bank or bed 4 at which thereare transversely conveyed away the cast strand sections. Behind thecooling bank or bed 4 there is arranged a receiver or receiving means 5for a dummy bar 6.

As best seen by referring to FIG. 6, there is provided as thethread-like or thread-shaped casting connection between the casting orstrand 3 and the dummy bar head 6 of the dummy bar 6, a casting screw orthreaded bolt 7. The latter is threaded into the dummy bar head 6 andthe screw or bolt head 8 has steel cast therearound. In order to releasethe connection between the strand 3 and the dummy bar 6, this strand iscropped or cut by means of the cutter or shearing device 2 directlybehind the screw or bolt head 8 around which there has been cast thesteel or other metal being cast. Between the cooling bank or bed 4 andthe dummy bar receiver 5 there is arranged a rotary or turning mechanism9 with a positive or form-locking opening, that is to say, a claw 9'which is accommodated to the cross-section of the billet, as shown inFIGS. 1 and 3. Through such claw 9' there is conveyed the dummy bar 6into the receiver 5, wherein the cropped end 30 of the strand 3 remainsat the region of the rotary or turning mechanism 9. Thereafter thecropped end 30 of the casting or strand is rotated by the rotary orturning mechanism 9 until the casting screw 7 is screwed out of the head6' of the dummy bar 6 and the connection is released. The croped end 30then can be removed from the rotary mechanism 9 and conveyed away. Thedummy bar 6 is equipped with a new casting screw 7 and is introducedinto the continuous casting installation for the next pour or casting.

With the arrangement according to FIG. 2, a dummy bar receiver 10 isarranged in front of a cooling bank or bed 11 and transverselydisplaceable at the region of a rotary or turning mechanism 12 arrangedlaterally of the run-out table 1.

Now by referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, there will be recognized the detailsof a preferred construction of rotary or turning mechanism. It consistsof a housing 13 in which there is mounted at rollers 16 a rotary orturning head equipped with a sprocket gear rim or sprocket wheel 14. Therotary or turning head 15 possesses an opening in the form of the claw9'. Flanged to the housing 13 is a worm gearing or drive 17 which isconnected with a drive shaft or drive arrangement 18. A sprocket gear orwheel 19 is secured to a shaft 17 of the worm drive 17, and whichsprocket gear 19 drives the sprocket gear or wheel 14 through the agencyof a chain 20 or equivalent structure.

The rotary or turning head 15 is constructed as a hollow sleeve 15'which is open at one end. This sleeve is provided at its end withinserts 21 accommodated to the profile or shape of the cast billet 3 andsuch inserts possess the shape of claws and can be exchanged whenchanging the shape of the cast strand or billet. In order that the axisof rotation of the rotary or turning head 15, during changes in theformat or shape of the casting, coincides with the axis of theconnecting screw or bolt 7, the thread hole or bore 6" in the dummy bar6 always must be provided with a constant spacing from the supportsurface. The housing 13 can be, however, arranged so as to be adjustablein elevation in order that the screw or bolt axis for all formats orshapes can be centrally arranged at the casting.

At the side flanks of the inserts 21 there are machined or otherwiseworked recesses 22 corresponding to the pointed edge or pyramid positionof the strand 3 as previously explained, and into which recesses thereis inserted the cropped end 30 of the strand 3 upon turning-out orscrewing-out the screw or bolt 7 and thus secured against tipping.

An impact or stop lever 24 is mounted at a stationary bracket or console23, this stop lever 24 being retained by means of a spring 25 or thelike in a substantially horizontal position. After screwing out theconnecting screw or bolt 7 the rotary or turning head 15 is turnedsomewhat past the fall-out or dropout position and subsequently againturned back therein. During turning back of the rotary or turning headthe cropped end 30 of the casting comes to bear against the end face orend 24' of the lever 24 and is rotated out of the recesses 22 into theposition depicted in FIG. 3 which is parallel to or in alignment withthe drop-out or fall-out opening 21' of the inserts 21, through whichsuch cropped end is capable of dropping out without obstruction into anot particularly illustrated scrap trough or the like. In the screw-outdirection the rotational movement of the cropped end 30 of the castingis not hindered by the impact or stop lever 24, since the cropped endrocks such stop lever 24 downwardly out of the rotational or turningregion.

The dummy bar receivers 5 and 10 are equipped with an upper coveringserving as an anti-rotation securing means 10' (FIG. 4) which securesthe dummy bar 6 against being rotatably entrained.

In the showing of FIGS. 5a to 50, there is illustrated in principle arotary or turning head 26 equipped with a laterally opened covering orcover 29 serving as the fall-out securing device, the opening of whichhas been generally indicated by reference character 29'. This coveringor cover 29 encloses the rotary head 26 and possesses the samerotational axis as such rotary or turning head and is freely pivotablebetween two stops 27 and 28. A cropped or sheared end 30 of the castingis pushed from the side into the claw means 31 of the rotary or turninghead 26 and rotated in counterclockwise direction, as best recognized byreferring to FIG. 5a. Consequently, the covering 29 is entrained until aprojection 32 impacts against the stop 28 and the fallout or dropoutregion 40 is closed, as best seen by referring to FIG. 5b. After theturning out or screwing out of the casting screw or bolt 7, the rotaryor turning head 26 is rotated in the opposite direction, with the resultthat the projection 32 of the covering or cover 29 is entrained up tothe region of the other stop 27 and the fall-out direction or opening 40for the cropped end 30 is freed, as best seen by referring to FIG. 50.

While there is shown and described present preferred embodiments of theinvention, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is notlimited thereto, but may be otherwise variously embodied and practicedwithin the scope of the following claims. ACCORD- INGLY,

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus arranged after a continuous casting installation forreleasing a thread-like casting connection from a dummy bar head of adummy bar, comprising a dummy bar receiver means, a rotary mechanismassociated with the dummy bar receiver means, said rotary mechanismbeing equipped with a receiving opening for a cropped end of the castingwhich possesses the thread-like casting connection, said rotarymechanism incorporating means for carrying out a relative rotationalmovement between the cropped end of the casting and the dummy bar headof the dummy bar in order to disconnect the thread-like castingconnection of the cropped end of the casting from the dummy bar head ofthe dummy bar, said means for carrying out said relative rotationalmovement of the rotary mechanism comprises a rotary head constructed asclaw means, said claw means having a lateral opening defining saidreceiving opening; the cropped end of the casting being insertable intoand retractable from said lateral opening, said claw means beingprovided with fall-out safety means for the cropped end of the casting,said claw means having side flanks provided with recess meanscorresponding to a substantially pointed edge position of the croppedend wherein diametrically opposite corners of the cropped end arelocated in said recess means, and further wherein the cropped end hasassociated therewith stop means acting opposite to the screwoutdirection of the thre ad-like casting connection, said stop meanslimiting the movement of the cropped end in a substantially verticalfall-out position.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the dummy bar receivermeans is provided with antirotation securing means for the dummy bar toprevent undesired rotation of said dummy bar.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the thread-like castingconnection of the cropped end of the casting when disposed in saidreceiving opening is substantially coaxially arranged with respect tothe lengthwise axis of the dummy bar head of the dummy bar.

4. An apparatus arranged after a continuous casting installation forreleasing a thread-like casting connection from a dummy bar head of adummy bar, comprising a dummy bar receiver means, a rotary mechanismassociated with the dummy bar receiver means, said rotary mechanismbeing equipped with a substantially form-locking receiving opening for acropped end of the casting which possesses the thread-like castingconnection, said rotary mechanism comprising a rotary head constructedas claw means, said claw means having a lateral opening defining saidform-locking receiving opening, the cropped end of the casting beinginsertable into and retractable from said lateral opening, said clawmeans being provided with fall-out safety means for the cropped end ofthe casting, and wherein the fall-out safety means of the claw means isconstructed as a laterally opened cover provided with a projection andfreely pivotable about the same rotational axis as the rotary head, thepivot movement of the cover being limited by associated stops between aposition closing the opening of the claw means in the fall-out directionand a position opening such opening of the claw means.

1. An apparatus arranged after a continuous casting installation forreleasing a thread-like casting connection from a dummy bar head of adummy bar, comprising a dummy bar receiver means, a rotary mechanismassociated with the dummy bar receiver means, said rotary mechanismbeing equipped with a receiving opening for a cropped end of the castingwhich possesses the thread-like casting connection, said rotarymechanism incorporating means for carrying out a relative rotationalmovement between the cropped end of the casting and the dummy bar headof the dummy bar in order to disconnect the thread-like castingconnection of the cropped end of the casting from the dummy bar head ofthe dummy bar, said means for carrying out said relative rotationalmovement of the rotary mechanism comprises a rotary head constructed asclaw means, said claw means having a lateral opening defining saidreceiving opening, the cropped end of the casting being insertable intoand retractable from said lateral opening, said claw means beingprovided with fall-out safety means for the cropped end of the casting,said claw means having side flanks provided with recess meanscorresponding to a substantially pointed edge position of the croppedend wherein diametrically opposite corners of the cropped end arelocated in said recess means, and further wherein the cropped end hasassociated therewith stop means acting opposite to the screw-outdirection of the thread-like casting connection, said stop meanslimiting the movement of the cropped end in a substantially verticalfall-out position.
 2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein thedummy bar receiver means is provided with anti-rotation securing meansfor the dummy bar to prevent undesired rotation of said dummy bar. 3.The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the thread-like castingconnection of the cropped end of the casting when disposed in saidreceiving opening is substantially coaxially arranged with respect tothe lengthwise axis of the dummy bar head of the dummy bar.
 4. Anapparatus arranged after a continuous casting installation for releasinga thread-like casting connection from a dummy bar head of a dummy bar,comprising a dummy bar receiver means, a rotary mechanism associatedwith the dummy bar receiver means, said rotary mechanism being equippedwith a substantially form-locking receiving opening for a cropped end ofthe casting which possesses the thread-like casting connection, saidrotary mechanism comprising a rotary head constructed as claw means,said claw means having a lateral opening defining said form-lockingreceiving opening, the cropped end of the casting being insertable intoand retractable from said lateral opening, said claw means beingprovided with fall-out safety means for the cropped end of the casting,and wherein the fall-out safety means of the claw means is constructedas a laterally opened cover provided with a projection and freelypivotable about the same rotational axis as the rotary head, the pivotmovement of the cover being limited by associated stops between aposition closing the opening of the claw means in the fall-out directionand a position opening such opening of the claw means.